US transfers two Guantanamo Bay inmates to Algeria

Guantanamo Bay is a military prison for 'enemy combatants'.Joe Raedle / Getty Images

WASHINGTON – Two prisoners have been transferred from the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba to the government of Algeria as part of ongoing efforts to close the controversial prison, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

Nabil Said Hadjarab and Mutia Sadiq Ahmad Sayyab were approved for transfer following a “comprehensive review” by the Guantanamo Review Task Force, it said in a statement.

The move leaves 164 detainees still inside the Guantanamo Bay site, which President Barack Obama has sought to close.

“The United States is grateful to the Government of Algeria for its willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility,” the statement said. “The United States coordinated with the Government of Algeria to ensure these transfers took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures.”